BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Black Knights’ offense exploded for a Patriot League Baseball Championship single-game record 22 runs, as two-time defending champion Army West Point (27-22) defeated top-seed Lehigh (23-18), 22-7, in game one at J. David Walker Field on Wednesday.
 
Junior catcher Cameron Cerruto went 4-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs, while senior third baseman Anthony Giachin went 3-for-5 with four RBIs as the Black Knights eclipsed the previous single-game record of 20 runs, shared by Bucknell (2003) and Lafayette (2009). Sophomore first baseman Ross Friedrick also tied a single-game championship record with three doubles, joining Navy’s Dean Farmer (2003).
 
Junior right-hander Anthony LoRicco earned the victory allowing three runs on seven hits over 6.0 innings for the Black Knights.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES TIME CHANGES: Army West Point will attempt to clinch its third-consecutive Patriot League crown on Thursday, May 27. Game two of the Patriot League Championship Series has been moved to a noon start, with game three, if necessary, following at 3 p.m. 
 
SPECTATOR POLICIES: The spectator policies for the 2021 Patriot League Baseball Championship will be determined by the host institution. For up-to-date information on the spectator policies at Lehigh, CLICK HERE.
 
For more information about the 2021 Patriot League Baseball Championship, visit Championship Central.
 
No. 2 Army West Point at No. 1 Lehigh (J. David Walker Field at Legacy Park/Bethlehem, Pa.)

Date	Game	Result/Time	Coverage
Wed., May 26	Championship – Army West Point at Lehigh	Army, 22-7	ESPN+
Thurs., May 27	Championship – Army West Point at Lehigh	Noon ET	ESPN+
Thurs., May 27	Championship – Army West Point at Lehigh (if necessary)	3 p.m. ET	ESPN+

 
2021 PATRIOT LEAGUE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP – CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
NO. 2 ARMY WEST POINT BLACK KNIGHTS (27-22, 15-10 PL) 22, AT NO. 1 LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (23-18, 17-10 PL) 7
J. David Walker Field at Legacy Park/Bethlehem, Pa.
BOX SCORE
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – No. 2 Army West Point broke the Patriot League Baseball Championship single-game runs record, exploding for 22 runs in the Black Knights’ 22-7 victory over Lehigh in game one.
*Friedrick, Cerruto and junior right fielder Carter Macias, the bottom three hitters in the Black Knights’ lineup, combined to go 9-for-15 with nine runs and nine RBIs.
*Cerruto, who hit his first home run of the season to help Army West Point win game three of their semifinals series against Lafayette, hit two more to go 4-for-5 with a game-high five runs. Macias added a three-run home run as part of the Black Knights’ seven-run fourth inning.
*Eight of Army West Point’s nine starters posted multi-hit games, with each starter scoring at least one run.
*Lehigh junior first baseman Gerard Sweeney went 3-for-4 with a home run and a double, while junior third baseman Joe Gorla went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run.
*Patriot League Player of the Year Casey Rother went 2-for-4 with three runs to help lead the Mountain Hawks’ offense.
*Sweeney opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run over the right-field wall. Rother also scored to give Lehigh an early 2-0 lead.
*Cerruto singled to drive in Friedrick in the top of the second inning to cut the Lehigh lead in half.
*The Black Knights brought 12 batters to the plate in the top of the fourth inning to break the game open with eight runs, including a three-run home run from Macias.
*Army put four runs on the board in the seventh inning and seven more in the ninth inning to seal a record-setting victory in game one.
*Patriot League Pitcher of the Year Mason Black took the loss, allowing eight runs on eight hits over 3.2 innings.
RECAPS: LEHIGH | ARMY WEST POINT
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.